Rest won’t do it, Richard Jefferson said, making the option of surgery on his right ankle sound more like a question of “when,” not “if.” “This is more of a chronic problem that needs to be fixed at some point in time,” Jefferson said before the Nets sought to end their twogame losing streak last night against the Warriors at the Meadowlands.

“It’s maybe something a little more aggressive than tendinitis. There’s stuff floating around in my right ankle – little fragments, little pieces, little bone spurs. That’s why it needs to be addressed. That’s why it keeps flaring up.” Jefferson refused to say surgery will be required but what are the options?

It was against Miami in last season’s playoffs that Jefferson originally sprained his right ankle – he lost five games in November when he sprained his left one. But after healing from the post-season injury, he aggravated it during the summer. Now, it has gotten worse.

“They didn’t tell me surgery, they told me there are some things that need to be addressed if they don’t improve,” Jefferson said.

“Hopefully, if you maintain a certain level, then you can address it in the off-season. I’m not saying surgery or anything. It could be surgery, it could not be surgery. But it’s something that needs to be addressed. Maybe BandAids can get you through the season, if not then you have to address it.” Jefferson pulled himself from a game last week, than skipped Friday’s game in Toronto but returned to play Saturday.

“He played a very good game, a winning game,” said coach Lawrence Frank. “He was very unselfish, he got into the paint, and made some great plays.” Maybe if the Nets, who were minus Josh Boone (migraine) last night, weren’t struggling so terribly – and they reside in the Atlantic Division don’t forget – Jefferson would take some time off.

But he said that rest is not the answer. So he was back in the lineup against Golden State and Monta Ellis – “a mini version of (Allen) Iverson,” Frank assessed.

And as far as having an operation in-season, Jefferson’s really not a fan. But he may have no choice.

“Our team is struggling, my numbers are similar to my second year in the league, when I was just breaking it down. Obviously I’m not playing at my capability and it’s frustrating because the one thing I prided myself on is my consistency,” Jefferson said.

“Now they don’t know if I’m gonna play one day, or if I’m gonna be able to run, or if I’m able to give ’em 20 points.

“I wouldn’t want to miss large portions of two-outof three seasons. If I feel like I’m hurting the team – and not just by my performance, but because they don’t know consistently what they’re gonna get (then you must explore options),” he said.

So with Jefferson subpar, the Nets struggle. And that’s something that can’t be fixed with surgery.

GM Ed Stefanski said the hope is the current group figures it out and a major trade would not be necessary.

“Just keep working hard. There’s no other alternative,” Stefanski said.